Circular orientation in performance: a study of the cycle of living and its application in the cultural expression like dance
type: CreativeWork
description: This study focuses on the circular orientation in performances by Abathwa and Abantu speaking people of central and southern Africa. This notion is explored through close examination of space, movements, time and objects used during ritual and recreational performances. The study is informed by the meaning contained in symbolism rooted in Africans’ perception of culture, religion, language, cosmos, science and artistic aesthetics. The first chapter is the general introduction to the study covering aspects such as statement of the problem and hypothesis, rationale, methodology and literature review. It also attempts to give an in depth explanation of the African conception of the circle, the centre and the cycle. It explains how these three concepts are applied in social structure, architecture and ritual performances. The chapter also explains the African cyclical perception of time and life. The second chapter looks at the historical perspective of dance performances by indigenous peoples of southern Africa. The histories and the cultural backgrounds of the Khoisan and the Bantu speaking people, form the bases for the interpretation and understanding of dance performances during rituals, recreation and children games. The third chapter investigates the thematic approach towards the interpretation of dance performances by the Bantu and the Khoisan speaking people of Africa. The emphasis is on the theme of gender and sexuality since it is the theme that plays a central role in most of the ritualistic performances among the Africans. While the emphasis on relationship between genders in the performances, the attention is also paid towards the metaphoric, symbolic and paradoxical representations of African world view through the juxtaposition of gender and sexuality during performances. The fourth chapter examines the use of elements of dance performances in relation to themes of fertility (human and soil) and curing. These themes are discussed because they are the the…
abstract: This study focuses on the circular orientation in performances by Abathwa and Abantu speaking people of central and southern Africa. This notion is explored through close examination of space, movements, time and objects used during ritual and recreational performances. The study is informed by the meaning contained in symbolism rooted in Africans’ perception of culture, religion, language, cosmos, science and artistic aesthetics. The first chapter is the general introduction to the study covering aspects such as statement of the problem and hypothesis, rationale, methodology and literature review. It also attempts to give an in depth explanation of the African conception of the circle, the centre and the cycle. It explains how these three concepts are applied in social structure, architecture and ritual performances. The chapter also explains the African cyclical perception of time and life. The second chapter looks at the historical perspective of dance performances by indigenous peoples of southern Africa. The histories and the cultural backgrounds of the Khoisan and the Bantu speaking people, form the bases for the interpretation and understanding of dance performances during rituals, recreation and children games. The third chapter investigates the thematic approach towards the interpretation of dance performances by the Bantu and the Khoisan speaking people of Africa. The emphasis is on the theme of gender and sexuality since it is the theme that plays a central role in most of the ritualistic performances among the Africans. While the emphasis on relationship between genders in the performances, the attention is also paid towards the metaphoric, symbolic and paradoxical representations of African world view through the juxtaposition of gender and sexuality during performances. The fourth chapter examines the use of elements of dance performances in relation to themes of fertility (human and soil) and curing. These themes are discussed because they are the the…
author: Ngema, Vusabantu
keywords: Abathwa speaking people, Abantu speaking people, architecture and ritual performances, Indeginous people, Khoisan people
license: https://devspace.unizulu.ac.za/bitstreams/0081fdf2-03c0-41e4-a1ca-b85950912ca6/download
date published: 2009
date modified: 2026-07-24T06:16:47Z
provider: University of Zululand
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Zululand